Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;fichrymerchepu&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Fichrymerchepu’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly and broadly mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant form; uniform and freely flowering habit; medium-sized decorative-type inflorescences with dark red purple-colored ray florets; mid-season flowering habit, grown under natural season conditions, plants begin flowering in early to mid-September in the United Kingdom; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FICHRYMERCHEPU’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant,botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as agarden Chrysanthemum plant and hereinafter referred to by the name‘Fichrymerchepu’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom. Theobjective of the breeding program is to create new mid-season floweringgarden Chrysanthemum plants with numerous attractive inflorescences.

The new Chrysanthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination made inJanuary, 2009 by the Inventor in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom ofan unidentified selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium, not patented, asthe female, or seed, parent with an unidentified selection ofChrysanthemum×morifolium, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent.The new Chrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventoras a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Fareham,Hampshire, United Kingdom in September, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by terminalvegetative cuttings was first conducted in Fareham, Hampshire, UnitedKingdom in December, 2009. Asexual reproduction by terminal vegetativecuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemumplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under allpossible combinations of environmental conditions and culturalpractices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Fichrymerchepu’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Fichrymerchepu’ as a new and distinctChrysanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly and broadly        mounded plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant form.    -   4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Medium-sized decorative-type inflorescences with dark red        purple-colored ray florets.    -   6. Mid-season flowering habit, grown under natural season        conditions, plants begin flowering in early to mid-September in        the United Kingdom.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the femaleand male parent selections. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differprimarily from plants of the parent selections in time to flower asplants of the new Chrysanthemum flower earlier than plants of the parentselections.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants ofChrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Fichryevenpur’, disclosed in a U.S. PlantPatent application filed concurrently. In side-by-side comparisons,plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of‘Fichryevenpur’ in time to flower as plants of the new Chrysanthemumflower earlier than plants of ‘Fichryevenpur’. In addition, plants ofthe new Chrysanthemum have slightly larger inflorescences than plants of‘Fichryevenpur’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Chrysanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Chrysanthemum plant. The photograph is a top perspective view ofa typical flowering plant of ‘Fichrymerchepu’ grown in a 14-cmcontainer.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the winter in 14-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom andunder cultural practices typical of commercial garden Chrysanthemumproduction. During the production of the plants, day and nighttemperatures ranged from 17° C. to 21° C. and light levels averaged6,000 lux. Plants were grown under long day/short night conditions forabout five weeks (including propagation period) and then grown undershort day/long night conditions to induce inflorescence initiation anddevelopment. Plants were twelve weeks old when the photograph anddetailed description were taken. In the following description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification:    -   -   Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Fichrymerchepu’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unidentified selection of            Chrysanthemum×morifolium, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unidentified selection of            Chrysanthemum×morifolium, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at            temperatures about 21° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at            temperatures about 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures about 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 21° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically            light brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent            on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and            formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of            roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous decorative-type garden            Chrysanthemum; stems upright to outwardly spreading giving a            uniformly and broadly mounded appearance to the plant;            numerous lateral branches and relatively short internodes,            dense and full plant form; moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 34 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; about 17 lateral            branches develop after removal of terminal apex (pinching).        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 18 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Internode length: About 1 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect:            About 45° from vertical and then bending upwardly. Texture:            Fine pubescence. Color: Close to 143C.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 4 cm.        -   Width.—About 3.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Palmately-lobed; roughly ovate with three to five            lobes.        -   Apex.—Broadly acuminate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Slightly dentate and palmately lobed; sinuses            between lateral lobes mostly divergent.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Fine pubescence; slightly            rough; veins prominent on lower surface.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A; venation,            close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 139C; venation, close to 146B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Fine pubescence; slightly            rough. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Form and flowering habit.—Decorative-type inflorescence form            with ligulate-shaped ray florets; inflorescences borne on            terminals above and beyond the foliar plane; disc and ray            florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum; freely            flowering habit with about 221 inflorescences developing per            plant during the flowering season.        -   Fragrance.—Strongly fragrant; pungent, herbaceous.        -   Flowering response.—Mid-season flowering habit, plants            exposed to natural season conditions begin flowering in            early to mid-September in the United Kingdom; plants flower            uniformly and continuously during the flowering season.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color            and substance for about three to five weeks on the plant;            inflorescences persistent.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 4 mm. Diameter: About            5 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 137C.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4 cm.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Receptacles.—Height: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Shape: Conical. Color: Close to 145B.        -   Ray florets.—Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About            96 arranged in about eight whorls. Orientation: Initially            upright, then about 70° from vertical. Length: About 1.4 cm.            Width: About 6 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Emarginate. Base:            Fused into a short tube. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; double-keeled. Color: When            opening, upper surface: Close to 64A. When opening, lower            surface: Close to 70B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to            72A; with development, color becoming closer to 70A. Fully            opened, lower surface: Close to N78C; color does not change            with development.        -   Disc florets.—Disc floret initiation and development has not            been observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum to date.        -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 18            arranged in about three whorls. Length: About 6 mm. Width:            About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;            waxy. Texture, lower surface: Fine pubescence; waxy. Color,            upper surface: Close to 143A. Color, lower surface: Close to            137C.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 3.9 cm.            Diameter, terminal peduncle: About 2 mm. Angle: Erect to            about 10° from vertical. Strength: Strong; flexible.            Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: Close to 137D.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: None observed. Gynoecium:            Present only on ray florets. Pistil length: About 5 mm.            Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 9B. Style            length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 1B. Ovary color:            Close to NN155A.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been            observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum to date.-   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common    to Chrysanthemum plants has not been observed on plants of the new    Chrysanthemum to date.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have    demonstrated good garden performance and to tolerate temperatures    from about 0° C. to about 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named‘Fichrymerchepu’ as illustrated and described.